Follow the Clues takes the children on a fact-finding mission through the Bile, learning about the promises that God gave to his people through the generations. With the help of some 1920’s detectives and private investigators, the children will discover evidence in the Bible proving that God promised to restore our relationship with him, and that all of his promises across the ages were fulfilled in Jesus.

Last week, 11 students and 2 faculty members of the Brisbane School of Theology came to St Bart’s to be involved in many different areas. Over this week they were involved in children’s ministry, university ministry, nursing home services, small group visits, youth group, pastoral visiting, and they helped us greatly with our Prayer Night, Women’s Coffee and Dessert Night, and our Father’s and Children’s BBQ.

At our 6PM service we were able to here from Beth and her experience in the BST Mission week. Please be praying for the students that God will be at work in them and their ministries as a result of this week.

We'd love you to join us at St Bart's this Christmas as we celebrate God’s amazing gift of Jesus unto us! We will be celebrating two Christmas Eve services (6PM Family Carols and 11PM Traditional Communion) and two Christmas Day services (7.30AM Traditional Communion and 9.30AM Family Carols + Communion). These are always wonderful services together, giving great thanks to Jesus whilst also joyfully anticipating his return. If you haven’t invited anyone yet, it’s not too late!

Special thanks to the St Bart’s Kids team for putting together a special video for use at our Carols on the ‘Best Gift Ever’. A great and timely reminder of just how amazing the gift of Jesus truly is unto us.

With only two sleeps until our first night of carols, time is running out to invite a friend. Christmas is all about Good News of Great JOY and it's fast approaching! There’s no better way to get ready than some time of fun, laughing, carols, dressing up (children are welcome to dress up as angels/shepherds) waving glow sticks, and sharing in some delicious refreshments. So please be praying, and come along on Tuesday and Wednesday nights (7-8PM).

It’s hard to believe, but our two nights of Carols (Tuesday December 11 and Wednesday December 12) are only a couple of weeks away! We’ve already had a tremendous response to our advertising, however now is the key time to get involved. There are three key ways to get involved.

Christmas is all about Good News of Great JOY and it's fast approaching! There’s no better way to get ready than some time of fun, laughing, carols, dressing up (children are welcome to dress up as angels/shepherds) waving glow sticks, and sharing in some delicious refreshments. Now on two nights!

Celebrating Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to give thanks to God for Jesus and also anticipate his return. Sometimes with the busyness of December, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day can be upon us without really having had the opportunity to prepare well (beyond the tree, gifts, food, and parties!). Here are five suggestions for entering into the truth of Christmas.

Congratulations to John Gamble and his mission project "Christ's Lights" as he was awarded 'best nativity' in the The Chronicle Christmas Lights Competition (read the awards online). This is an amazing initiative that John has led for some years now. Thousands of people visit these lights and hear the GOOD NEWS of Christmas in Jesus. There is also an amazing team of volunteers, with a large contingent from St Bart's, who welcome visitors and share the GOOD NEWS. If you haven't visited the lights yet, make sure you check them out at: 8 Grant Close, Middle Ridge.

We'd love you to join us at St Bart's this Christmas as we celebrate that JESUS is GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY. Everyone is welcome! Christmas Eve (6.00PM and 11.00PM) and Christmas Day (7.30AM and 9.30AM).

Over the last couple of weeks, there has been the opportunity to purchase cards from the TEAR Useful Gift Catalogue after our morning services. With great thanks, a total of $1305 was raised towards various type of projects and community engagement initiatives (a total of 89% goes directly to these projects). As we celebrate Christmas and give gifts as a reminder of God's greatest gift in Christ, how wonderful to have such amazing gifts to give that will have a significant effect in places desperate in need! If you would still like to purchase a gift from the TEAR Useful Gifts Catalogue, you can do so at: www.usefulgifts.org

Thank you to everyone who was part of our Carols by Glow Stick team or came along. It was fantastic to welcome over 560 people! The team of over 70 people (including setup, music, welcoming, sound, lighting, data, car park, present wrapping, hospitality, the kids’ Christmas video, photo booth, children’s ministry and so much more) did an absolutely fabulous job with a clear focus to point to Jesus being GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY. It was a joy to see them serve together and what a blessing to be served by them!

Our Carols by Glow Stick are on this Wednesday night (December 6, 7-8PM)!We’re hoping that we can completely fill the church and welcome many visitors from outside of St Bart’s. This will be a fantastic night as we sing, hear from the Bible, have a kids' talk, watch a video of our kids telling the Christmas story, and so much more! There will be also a photo booth and delicious refreshments (fruit and Christmas cake) after the service. This will be an amazing night to celebrate that Jesus really is GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY! Please keep inviting friends along and join us on Wednesday night.

This Sunday we commence a new series on 'the Gospel According to Isaiah'. We'll have an amazing time looking at sections of this incredible book and how it points not only to Jesus' first coming, but also his return. To get started on the series, and to prepare for Christmas, we'd love you to download a copy of the daily Bible reading plan (for Isaiah) and also check out the Bible Project's fantastic video overviews of the Book of Isaiah. On Sunday, there will also be some fabulous family Advent calendars that will help the entire family to celebrate Jesus (and anticipate his return) this Christmas.

Our Carols by Glow Stick - on Wednesday, December 6 - is now just a little over 4 weeks away! Whilst in previous years we have held this event over two nights, this year with the completion of STAGE TWO it means that we can have one large event!We’re hoping that we can completely fill the church and welcome many visitors from outside of St Bart’s.

Our Carols by Glow Stick - on Wednesday, December 6 - is now just a little over 5 weeks away! Whilst in previous years we have held this event over two nights, this year with the completion of STAGE TWO it means that we can have one large event!We’re hoping that we can completely fill the church and welcome many visitors from outside of St Bart’s.

A massive thank you to everyone who was involved in ‘John’s Lights’ over December. A total of 6,707 adults and children passed through his garden! Congratulations to John and the team in proclaiming Jesus so clearly through every aspect of this wonderful initiative. Please be praying for everyone who visited the lights, that the Gospel seeds planted will take root in people's lives. Please also pray for the team as they pack up the lights and that they will have great rest.

Thank you to everyone who was part of our Christmas Eve and Day services. It was wonderful to welcome so many people to St Bart's (around 650 over our four services) to celebrate the amazing news that Jesus is 'God with us'. It was also encouraging that many people requested a copy of Luke's Gospel and exciting to welcome many people who had responded to invitations from St Bart's members (along with invitations received from the Christmas lights). I'm so thankful to God for such an amazing team who give so generously towards our mission to make and mature disciples. I hope and pray that as you continue to celebrate Christmas, that you will have a renewed sense that God has drawn near, desires relationship with us, and loves us even at the greatest cost to himself.

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. (Titus 3:4-5)

Celebrating Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to give thanks to God for Jesus and also anticipate his return. Sometimes with the busyness of December, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day can be upon us without really having had the opportunity to prepare well (beyond the tree, gifts, food, and parties!). Here are five suggestions for entering into the truth of Christmas.
#1: Read the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth and early years. There are two of these (Luke 1:1-2 and Matthew 1-2) and each has a unique voice. Together they provide a wonderful picture of the people and events leading up to his birth, the phenomenal news that he is God with us, and also his mission on earth.

2: Visit John Gamble’s Christmas Lights. Go along and take a friend to be reminded of the incredible news that Jesus is the light of the world. This is a wonderful way to be reminded of the incredible gift of Jesus to the world. John’s lights are located at: 8 Grant Close, Middle Ridge (7-9.30PM up to Boxing Day).

3: Give Something Away. We can be sometimes inundated with gifts, yet there are so many people in desperate need in our world. Consider supporting TEAR (through the Useful Gift Guide), the World Vision Christmas Appeal, and the Angel Tree gift programme.

4: Pray for Opportunities to Share the Great News of Jesus. Every morning, pray along the lines of: "Dear God, please give me the opportunity and strength to be a witness and point to Jesus today".

5: Come to St Bart’s on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Please take some flyers and invite some friends so that they can also revel in the great news that Jesus is God with us! Check out our Christmas Services online.